Gasket for a spout of a thermos bottle

ABSTRACT

A thermos bottle includes a body having a container made of metal. The container includes an opening in an upper end thereof. A spout made of plastic is mounted on top of the body. The spout includes a recessed portion in a center thereof. The recessed portion includes a bottom having a through-hole aligned with the opening of the container. The bottom of the recessed portion includes an upper face having an annular area surrounding the through-hole. A gasket made of metal includes an annular portion having a hollow. The gasket is mounted in the recessed portion of the spout. The hollow of the gasket is aligned with the through-hole of the spout. The annular portion rests on the annular area of the upper face of the bottom of the recessed portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a gasket for a spout and, more particularly, to a gasket for a spout of a thermos bottle for preventing the spout from being damaged by the heat and prolonging the service life of the spout while providing an appearance quality.

A conventional thermos bottle generally includes a body and a spout. A metal container is mounted in the body and has an opening in an upper end thereof. An insulating layer is mounted around the container. The spout is made of plastic and mounted on top of the body. The spout includes a recessed portion in a center thereof. The recessed portion includes a through-hole aligned with the opening of the container, allowing hot water to be filled into the container through the through-hole. The through-hole of the spout is sealed by a cap. A user can detach the spout from the body for cleaning the container.

However, a periphery of the through-hole of the plastic spout contacts the hot water while filling the hot water into the container. The periphery of the through-hole of the plastic spout deteriorates, blanches, and corrodes after a period of time, providing poor appearance quality and having a shortened service life.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a gasket for a spout of a thermos bottle to prevent the spout from being damaged by the heat and prolonging the service life of the spout.

A thermos bottle according to the present invention includes a body having a container made of metal. The container includes an opening in an upper end thereof. A spout made of plastic is mounted on top of the body. The spout includes a recessed portion in a center thereof. The recessed portion includes a bottom having a through-hole aligned with the opening of the container. The bottom of the recessed portion includes an upper face having an annular area surrounding the through-hole. A gasket made of metal includes an annular portion having a hollow. The gasket is mounted in the recessed portion of the spout. The hollow of the gasket is aligned with the through-hole of the spout. The annular portion rests on the annular area of the upper face of the bottom of the recessed portion.

Preferably, the annular portion of the gasket includes inner and outer peripheries and an upper surface extending between the inner and outer peripheries. The upper surface slopes downward from the outer periphery towards the inner periphery.

Preferably, the gasket is integrally formed with the spout by molding injection.

Preferably, a hook extends downward from each of the inner and outer peripheries and is engaged with the annular area of the upper face of the bottom of the recessed portion.

The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a spout with a gasket for a thermos bottle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the gasket of the spout according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the spout mounted on a thermos bottle.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along section line A-A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating filling of hot water into a container of the thermos bottle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, a thermos bottle according to the present invention includes a body 1, a spout 2, and a gasket 3. The body 1 includes a container 11 made of metal. The container 11 includes an opening 12 in an upper end thereof. The spout 2 is made of plastic and mounted on top of the body 1. The spout 2 includes a recessed portion 21 in a center thereof. The recessed portion 21 includes a bottom having a through-hole 22 aligned with the opening 12 of the container 11. The bottom of the recessed portion 21 includes an upper face having an annular area surrounding the through-hole 22.

The gasket 3 is made of metal and includes an annular portion 31 having a hollow 32. The gasket 3 is mounted in the recessed portion 21 of the spout 2. The hollow 32 of the gasket 3 is aligned with the through-hole 22 of the spout 2. The annular portion 31 rests on the annular area of the upper face of the bottom of the recessed portion 21. The annular portion 31 of the gasket 3 includes an inner periphery 312 and an outer periphery 311. The annular portion 31 of the gasket 3 further includes an upper surface extending between the inner and outer peripheries 312 and 311. The upper surface slopes downward from the outer periphery 311 towards the inner periphery 312. A hook 313, 314 extends downward from each of the inner and outer peripheries 312 and 311. Each hook 313, 314 engages with the annular area of the upper face of the bottom of the recessed portion 21.

The gasket 3 can be integrally formed with the spout 2 by molding injection. The gasket 3 is placed in a mold for the spout 2. Then, the plastic material for the spout 2 is filled into the mold. The plastic material engages with a lower surface of the gasket 32 and the hooks 313 and 314 when the plastic material takes shape. Furthermore, the annular portion 31 of the gasket 3 locates on the annular area of the upper face of the bottom of the recessed portion 21. The hooks 313 and 314 provide enhanced engagement effect.

With reference to FIG. 5, when filling hot water into the container 11 through the spout 2, most of the hot water enters the container 11 via the hollow 32. A portion of the hot water contacts the annular portion 31 of the gasket 3 and then flows through the hollow 32 into the container 11. Since the gasket 3 is made of metal, deterioration and whitening of an inner periphery of the through-hole 22 and the annular area surrounding the through-hole 22 of the plastic spout 2 resulting from the heat is avoided by preventing the spout 2 from contacting the hot water, prolonging the service life. The annular portion 31 is conic in the upper surface to quickly guide the hot water into the container 11.

In view of the foregoing, the gasket 3 effectively avoids deterioration of the surface of the plastic spout 2 to prolong the service life while providing enhanced appearance quality. The gasket 3 can be fixed to the spout 2 by other provisions, such as gluing.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the essence of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims. 

1. A thermos bottle comprising: a body including a container made of metal, with the container including an opening in an upper end thereof; a spout made of plastic and mounted on top of the body, with the spout including a recessed portion in a center thereof, with the recessed portion including a bottom having a through-hole aligned with the opening of the container, with the bottom of the recessed portion including an upper face having an annular area surrounding the through-hole; and a gasket made of metal, with the gasket including an annular portion having a hollow, with the gasket mounted in the recessed portion of the spout, with the hollow of the gasket aligned with the through-hole of the spout, with the annular portion resting on the annular area of the upper face of the bottom of the recessed portion.
 2. The thermos bottle as claimed in claim 1, with the annular portion of the gasket including an inner periphery and an outer periphery, with the annular portion of the gasket further including an upper surface extending between the inner and outer peripheries, with the upper surface sloping downward from the outer periphery towards the inner periphery.
 3. The thermos bottle as claimed in claim 2, with the gasket integrally formed with the spout by molding injection.
 4. The thermos bottle as claimed in claim 2, with a hook extending downward from each of the inner and outer peripheries, with each hook engaged with the annular area of the upper face of the bottom of the recessed portion. 